Assassination of candidate in Ecuador could affect voter turnout, says political scientist

The murder on Wednesday (9) of journalist and deputy Fernando Villavicencio, candidate for president of Ecuador, increased the feeling of fear in the population, and could affect turnout at the polls in the elections next Sunday, the 20th. political scientist Franklin Ramírez, from Quito.

The crime coincided with the celebration of Ecuador’s independence day, the beginning of a long holiday, but many people did not travel, out of fear, and the streets of the cities are semi-deserted, Ramírez told the CNN Brazil .

“The impact of the murder was very high, evenIt is why notIt wasn’t the first”, observes the political scientist. “The mayor of Manta, the third city in the country, alsoIt ism was murdered in broad daylight on the 23rd, presumably by drug traffickingI am.” In February, during local elections, there were more than 30 attacks against mayors and candidates.

Ecuador: video shows moment of attack that killed Fernando Villavicencio | CNN NEW DAY

“It is the worst year of attacks against politicians”, analyzes Ramírez. “This created an atmosphere of desolation and fear, and It is likely to have an impact on turnout levels, for fear of attacks on election day, the 20th, especially in the provinceEmeraldsbut also from Manabí.”

These provinces, as well as the city of Manta, are on the Pacific coast, whose ports are disputed by drug trafficking groups Los Choneros and Los Lobos. Villavicencio denounced an alleged connection between Los Choneros, the Mexican drug cartel Sinaloa and former president Rafael Correa (2007-2017), sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption and exiled in Belgium.

During Correa’s government, Villavicencio, author of reports that denounced corruption in the government, including involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, went into exile in Peru. He had been sworn to death by the chief of the Choneros, Adolfo Macías, known as Fito. That Saturday, two days after the murder, he was transferred to a prison that houses highly dangerous prisoners.

Correa’s candidate, Luisa González, appears at the forefront of voting intentions. Villavicencio’s position varied according to the polls, from second to fifth.

He advocated a tougher stance against drug trafficking and corruption, such as the construction of a maximum security prison, the militarization of ports and the creation of a police unit specialized in combating organized crime, with foreign support.

Another candidate considered from the right, the economist and former-vice-President Otto Sonnenholzneralso advocates tougher measures against crime.

The Construa Movement announced that Villavicencio’s deputy, Andrea GonzThelez NTheder, will now be your presidential candidate. environmental activist, Gonzalez is director of EcoVerde, a program on Ecuadorian radio RTP.